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Unim B, Zile-Velika I, Pavlovska Z, Lapao L, Peyroteo M, Misins J, Forjaz MJ, Nogueira P, Grisetti T, Palmieri L. The role of digital tools and emerging devices in COVID-19 contact tracing during the first 18 months of the pandemic: a systematic review. Eur J Public Health 2024; 34:i11-i28. [PMID: 38946444 PMCID: PMC11215323 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckae039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contact tracing is a public health intervention implemented in synergy with other preventive measures to curb epidemics, like the coronavirus pandemic. The development and use of digital devices have increased worldwide to enhance the contact tracing process. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of tracking coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients using digital solutions. METHODS Observational studies on digital contact tracing (DCT), published 2020-21, in English were identified through a systematic literature review performed on nine online databases. An ad hoc form was used for data extraction of relevant information. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed with validated tools. A qualitative synthesis of the findings is reported. RESULTS Over 8000 records were identified and 37 were included in the study: 24 modelling and 13 population-based studies. DCT improved the identification of close contacts of COVID-19 cases and reduced the effective reproduction number of COVID-19-related infections and deaths by over 60%. It impacted positively on societal and economic costs, in terms of lockdowns and use of resources, including staffing. Privacy and security issues were reported in 27 studies. CONCLUSIONS DCT contributed to curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with the high uptake rate of the devices and in combination with other public health measures, especially conventional contact tracing. The main barriers to the implementation of the devices are uptake rate, security and privacy issues. Public health digitalization and contact tracing are the keys to countries' emergency preparedness for future health crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigid Unim
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Zane Pavlovska
- Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Luis Lapao
- UNIDEMI, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- CHRC, Nova Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mariana Peyroteo
- UNIDEMI, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
- CHRC, Nova Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Janis Misins
- Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Maria João Forjaz
- National Center of Epidemiology, Health Institute Carlos III and RICAPPS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paulo Nogueira
- CHRC, National School of Public Health, Nova de Lisboa University, Lisbon, Portugal
- Nursing Research, Innovation and Development Centre of Lisbon (CIDNUR), Nursing School of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental (ISAMB), Laboratório para a Sustentabilidade do Uso da Terra e dos Serviços dos Ecossistemas—TERRA, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tiziana Grisetti
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Palmieri
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Htun YM, Maung NL, Ko DK, Htut HM, Phyo MK, Aung WL, Zaw HK, Min AK, Kyaw AP, Swe T, Zaw KK, Win KSN, Ko KK, Thaw KM, Aung SP, Aung SY, Htun SS, Paing SH, Htun SL, Naing ZM, Htun ZK, Naung H, Oo HH, Hla NY, San AK, Myat HM, Htet PS, Mon MK, Paing YM, Phyo WL, Paing WK, Rein T, Oo TL, Zaw TP, Oo TL, Thu TM, Aung TT, Soe HH, Soe AK, Oo AM, Aung A, Aung PP, Kyaw HA, Kyaw HP, Soe YNM, Ko MM, Aung ZK, Aung KT, Lwin YPC, Yan W, Soe PT, Htet ZL, Sint NH, Aung Z, Winn ZT, Thu KS, Shan NH, Htun NS, Win TT, Tun KM. Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among residents in selected townships, Yangon Region, Myanmar: a community-based cross-sectional study. Trop Med Health 2024; 52:36. [PMID: 38734710 PMCID: PMC11088027 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-024-00603-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To fight the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries have implemented various mitigation measures to contain the spread of the disease. By engaging with health service providers, the community's participation in adherence to preventive measures is certainly required in the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and its associated factors among the residents, Yangon Region, Myanmar. METHODS A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 636 residents in Yangon Region, Myanmar, from October to December 2021. A multistage non-probability sampling method, purposively selected for three townships in Yangon Region and convenience sampling for 212 participants from each township, was applied and the data were collected by face-to-face interviews using structured and pretested questionnaires. Data were entered, coded, and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the significant variables of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. RESULTS As a level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures, the proportion of residents who had good adherence was 39.3% (95% CI 35.5-43.2%), moderate adherence was 37.6% (95% CI 33.8-41.5%), and poor adherence was 23.1% (95% CI 19.9-26.6%). The age group of 31-40 years (AOR: 3.13, 95% CI 1.62-6.05), 30 years and younger (AOR: 3.22, 95% CI 1.75-5.92), Burmese ethnicity (AOR: 2.52, 95% CI 1.44-4.39), own business (AOR: 3.19, 95% CI 1.15-8.87), high school education level and below (AOR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.02-2.69), less than 280.90 USD of monthly family income (AOR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.01-2.29), low knowledge about COVID-19 (AOR: 1.90, 95% CI 1.26-2.88) were significantly associated with poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. CONCLUSIONS In this study, nearly one-fourth of the residents were experiencing poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. Therefore, building up the risk communication through the community using widely used mainstream media, the continuation of disease surveillance and announcement of updated information or advice for the public to increase awareness towards COVID-19, and enforcement to follow the recommended directions and regulations of health institutions are vital to consider for improving the adherence to preventive measures against COVID-19 among the residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Minn Htun
- Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar.
| | - Nyan Lin Maung
- Department of Research and Development, Defence Services Medical School, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Dwe Kyaw Ko
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Han Myo Htut
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Min Khant Phyo
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Wai Lynn Aung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Hein Khant Zaw
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Kyaw Min
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Phyo Kyaw
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thet Swe
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Kaung Khant Zaw
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Kyaw Swar Naing Win
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Khant Ko Ko
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Khant Min Thaw
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Saw Pyae Aung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Saw Yan Aung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Soe San Htun
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Soe Htet Paing
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Soe Lin Htun
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Zaw Myo Naing
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Zin Ko Htun
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htoo Naung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htun Htun Oo
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Naing Ye Hla
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Kyaw San
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Hpone Myint Myat
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Phone Shan Htet
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Min Khant Mon
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Ye Myat Paing
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Wai Lin Phyo
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Win Khant Paing
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thu Rein
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thit Lwin Oo
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thet Paing Zaw
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thet Lynn Oo
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Thint Myat Thu
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Than Toe Aung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Hein Htet Soe
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Kyaw Soe
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Myint Oo
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Aung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Pyae Phyo Aung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htun Aung Kyaw
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Hpone Pji Kyaw
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Yan Naing Myint Soe
- Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar
| | - Myint Myat Ko
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Zin Ko Aung
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Kyaw Thiha Aung
- Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar
| | - Yan Paing Chit Lwin
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Wai Yan
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Phyo Tayza Soe
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Zin Linn Htet
- Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar
| | - Nay Hein Sint
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Zayar Aung
- Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar
| | - Zin Thu Winn
- Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar
| | - Kaung Si Thu
- Department of Prevention and Research Development of Hepatitis, AIDS and Other Viral Diseases, Health and Disease Control Unit, Nay Pyi Taw, 15011, Myanmar
| | - Nyan Htet Shan
- Outpatient Department, No. 1 Military Hospital (500 Bedded), Meiktila, Mandalay, Myanmar
| | - Nyan Sint Htun
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Tun Tun Win
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Kyaw Myo Tun
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Defence Services Medical Academy, Yangon, Myanmar
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Aboushady AT, Blackmore C, Nagel A, Janashvili L, Gexha D, Otorbaeva D, Bugaienko N, Pebody R, Hegermann-Lindencrone M. Contact tracing in Austria, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Kosovo† during the COVID-19 pandemic: response review and good practices. Eur J Public Health 2024; 34:387-393. [PMID: 38261364 PMCID: PMC10990501 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, effective contact tracing was recognized as a crucial public health response to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and reduce COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality, particularly before widespread vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended implementing active surveillance strategies to trace and quarantine contacts of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases. METHODS A detailed review and analysis of the COVID-19 contact tracing responses was conducted in five European countries and territories, between March 2021 and August 2022. The countries and territories were selected to ensure geographical representation across the WHO European Region and applied a mixed-methods approach of in-depth interviews with various stakeholders across different administrative levels to identify good practices in COVID-19 contact tracing. The interviews covered 12 themes, including methods and procedures for COVID-19 contact tracing, information technology, quality assurance and key performance indicators. RESULTS The findings demonstrate that the policy approach, digitalization capabilities and implementation approach varied in the countries and territories and were dynamic throughout the pandemic. The analysis revealed that some practices were applicable across all countries and territories, while others were context-specific, catering to each country's and territory's unique needs. The study highlighted a need for all countries to institutionalize contact tracing as an essential function of existing health systems, to digitalize contact tracing practices and processes, and to build and retain contact tracing capacities for better pandemic preparedness. CONCLUSION The lessons related to COVID-19 contact tracing should be utilized to strengthen future outbreak response operations as part of epidemic and pandemic preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Taha Aboushady
- Infectious Hazard Management, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claire Blackmore
- Infectious Hazard Management, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anna Nagel
- Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lika Janashvili
- Georgian Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Dafina Gexha
- National Institute of Public Health, Pristina, Kosovo
| | - Dinagul Otorbaeva
- Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | | | - Richard Pebody
- Infectious Hazard Management, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Helms YB, Stein ML, Hamdiui N, van der Meer A, Ferreira JA, Crutzen R, Timen A, Kretzschmar MEE. Determinants of Dutch public health professionals' intention to use digital contact tracing support tools: A cross-sectional online questionnaire study. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2024; 3:e0000425. [PMID: 38354119 PMCID: PMC10866487 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Contact tracing (CT) can be a resource intensive task for public health services. To alleviate their workload and potentially accelerate the CT-process, public health professionals (PHPs) may transfer some tasks in the identification, notification, and monitoring of contacts to cases and their contacts themselves, using 'digital contact tracing support tools' (DCTS-tools). In this study, we aimed to identify determinants of PHPs' intention to use DCTS-tools. Between February and April 2022, we performed a cross-sectional online questionnaire study among PHPs involved in CT for COVID-19 in the Netherlands. We built three random forest models to identify determinants of PHPs' intention to use DCTS-tools for the identification, notification, and monitoring of contacts, respectively. The online questionnaire was completed by 641 PHPs. Most respondents had a positive intention towards using DCTS-tools for the identification (64.5%), notification (58%), and monitoring (55.2%) of contacts. Random forest models were able to correctly predict the intention of 81%, 80%, and 81% of respondents to use DCTS-tools for the identification, notification, and monitoring of contacts, respectively. Top-determinants of having a positive intention are the anticipated effect of DCTS-tools on the feasibility and efficiency of CT (speed, workload, difficulty), the degree to which PHPs anticipated that cases and contacts may find it pleasant and may be willing to participate in CT using DCTS-tools, and the degree to which PHPs anticipated that cases and contacts are sufficiently supported in CT when using DCTS-tools. Most PHPs have a positive intention to involve cases and their contacts in the identification, notification, and monitoring stages of the CT-process through DCTS-tools. The identified top-determinants should be prioritized in the (future) development and implementation of DCTS-tools in public health practice. Citizens' perspectives on the use of DCTS-tools should be investigated in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick B. Helms
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Mart L. Stein
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Nora Hamdiui
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Akke van der Meer
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - José A. Ferreira
- Department of Statistics, Informatics and Modelling, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Rik Crutzen
- Department of Health Promotion, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Aura Timen
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam E. E. Kretzschmar
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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John RS, Miller JC, Muylaert RL, Hayman DTS. High connectivity and human movement limits the impact of travel time on infectious disease transmission. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20230425. [PMID: 38196378 PMCID: PMC10777149 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The speed of spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlights the importance of understanding how infections are transmitted in a highly connected world. Prior to vaccination, changes in human mobility patterns were used as non-pharmaceutical interventions to eliminate or suppress viral transmission. The rapid spread of respiratory viruses, various intervention approaches, and the global dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 underscore the necessity for epidemiological models that incorporate mobility to comprehend the spread of the virus. Here, we introduce a metapopulation susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered model parametrized with human movement data from 340 cities in China. Our model replicates the early-case trajectory in the COVID-19 pandemic. We then use machine learning algorithms to determine which network properties best predict spread between cities and find travel time to be most important, followed by the human movement-weighted personalized PageRank. However, we show that travel time is most influential locally, after which the high connectivity between cities reduces the impact of travel time between individual cities on transmission speed. Additionally, we demonstrate that only significantly reduced movement substantially impacts infection spread times throughout the network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reju Sam John
- Massey University, Palmerston North 4474, New Zealand
- University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Joel C. Miller
- La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Victoria, Australia
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Mottaghi A, Aryan Kya M. Spatial Proximity Distribution of COVID-19 in Iran (Panel: February 2019-February 2023). IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2024; 49:62-64. [PMID: 38322158 PMCID: PMC10839143 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2023.98665.3069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Afshin Mottaghi
- Department of Political Geography, School of Geography Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael Aryan Kya
- Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Dei Giudici S, Loi F, Ghisu S, Angioi PP, Zinellu S, Fiori MS, Carusillo F, Brundu D, Franzoni G, Zidda GM, Tolu P, Bandino E, Cappai S, Oggiano A. The Long-Jumping of African Swine Fever: First Genotype II Notified in Sardinia, Italy. Viruses 2023; 16:32. [PMID: 38257733 PMCID: PMC10820622 DOI: 10.3390/v16010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating infectious disease of domestic pigs and wild boar that is spreading quickly around the world and causing huge economic losses. Although the development of effective vaccines is currently being attempted by several labs, the absence of globally recognized licensed vaccines makes disease prevention and early detection even more crucial. ASF has spread across many countries in Europe and about two years ago affected the Italian susceptible population. In Italy, the first case of ASF genotype II in wild boar dates back to January 2022, while the first outbreak in a domestic pig farm was notified in August 2023. Currently, four clusters of infection are still ongoing in northern (Piedmont-Liguria and Lombardy), central (Lazio), and southern Italy (Calabria and Campania). In early September 2023, the first case of ASFV genotype II was detected in a domestic pig farm in Sardinia, historically affected by genotype I and in the final stage of eradication. Genomic characterization of p72, p54, and I73R/I329L genome regions revealed 100% similarity to those obtained from isolates that have been circulating in mainland Italy since January 2022 and also with international strains. The outbreak was detected and confirmed due to the passive surveillance plan on domestic pig farms put in place to provide evidence on genotype I's absence. Epidemiological investigations suggest 24 August as the most probable time of ASFV genotype II's arrival in Sardinia, likely due to human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Dei Giudici
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Federica Loi
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale della Sardegna, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Sonia Ghisu
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Pier Paolo Angioi
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Susanna Zinellu
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Mariangela Stefania Fiori
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | - Francesca Carusillo
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Diego Brundu
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Giulia Franzoni
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
| | | | - Paolo Tolu
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (G.M.Z.); (P.T.)
| | - Ennio Bandino
- Diagnostic Laboratories, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 08100 Nuoro, Italy; (S.G.); (F.C.); (D.B.); (E.B.)
| | - Stefano Cappai
- Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regionale della Sardegna, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 09125 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Annalisa Oggiano
- Laboratory of Virology, Deapartment of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (S.D.G.); (P.P.A.); (S.Z.); (M.S.F.); (G.F.); (A.O.)
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Farhat F, Sohail SS, Alam MT, Ubaid S, Shakil, Ashhad M, Madsen DØ. COVID-19 and beyond: leveraging artificial intelligence for enhanced outbreak control. Front Artif Intell 2023; 6:1266560. [PMID: 38028660 PMCID: PMC10663297 DOI: 10.3389/frai.2023.1266560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 has brought significant changes to our political, social, and technological landscape. This paper explores the emergence and global spread of the disease and focuses on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in containing its transmission. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no scientific presentation of the early pictorial representation of the disease's spread. Additionally, we outline various domains where AI has made a significant impact during the pandemic. Our methodology involves searching relevant articles on COVID-19 and AI in leading databases such as PubMed and Scopus to identify the ways AI has addressed pandemic-related challenges and its potential for further assistance. While research suggests that AI has not fully realized its potential against COVID-19, likely due to data quality and diversity limitations, we review and identify key areas where AI has been crucial in preparing the fight against any sudden outbreak of the pandemic. We also propose ways to maximize the utilization of AI's capabilities in this regard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Farhat
- Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | | | - Mohammed Talha Alam
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Syed Ubaid
- Faculty of Electronic and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Shakil
- Faculty of Electronic and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mohd Ashhad
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Dag Øivind Madsen
- USN School of Business, University of South-Eastern Norway, Hønefoss, Norway
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Sánchez-Recio R, Samper-Pardo M, Llopis-Lambán R, Oliván-Blázquez B, Cerdan-Bernad M, Magallón-Botaya R. Self-rated health impact of COVID 19 confinement on inmates in Southeastern of Europe: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2183. [PMID: 37936162 PMCID: PMC10631134 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17088-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the implementation of various measures within closed institutions like prisons to control the spread of the virus. Analyzing the impact of these measures on the health of inmates is crucial from a public health perspective. This study aimed to explore inmates' subjective perception of the COVID-19 lockdown, the implemented measures, their physical self-perception, and their views on the vaccination process. METHOD Between April 2021 and January 2022, 27 semi-structured individual interviews and 1 focus group were conducted with inmates in a prison located in northwest Spain. The interviews were conducted in person and audio-recorded. Thematic content analysis was employed, utilizing methodological triangulation to enhance the coherence and rigor of the results. RESULTS The analysis revealed two main themes and nine subthemes. The first theme focused on inmates' perception of the implementation of protective measures against COVID-19 within the prison and its impact on their well-being. The second theme explored the pandemic's emotional impact on inmates. All participants reported negative consequences on their health resulting from the measures implemented by the institution to contain the pandemic. However, they acknowledged that measures like lockdowns and mass vaccination helped mitigate the spread of the virus within the prison, contrary to initial expectations. CONCLUSION COVID-19 and related measures have directly affected the health of inmates. To improve their health and minimize the impact of pandemic-induced changes, community participation and empowerment of individuals are essential tools, particularly within closed institutions such as prisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Sánchez-Recio
- Research Group on Health Services in Aragon (GRISSA), Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Social and Labor Sciences, University of Zaragoza, C/ Violante de Hungría (23), Zaragoza, 50009, Spain
- Institute for Health Research in Aragon (IIS Aragón), C. de San Juan Bosco, 13, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain
- Zaragoza Penitentiary Center, Autovía A-23, Km, 328, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Mario Samper-Pardo
- Department of medicine, Facultad de Medicina Edificio A, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 5009, Spain
| | | | - Bárbara Oliván-Blázquez
- Institute for Health Research in Aragon (IIS Aragón), C. de San Juan Bosco, 13, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain.
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Calle de Violante de Hungría, 23, Zaragoza, 2009, Spain.
| | | | - Rosa Magallón-Botaya
- Institute for Health Research in Aragon (IIS Aragón), C. de San Juan Bosco, 13, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain
- Department of medicine, Facultad de Medicina Edificio A, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 5009, Spain
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Kremer C, Willem L, Boone J, Arrazola de Oñate W, Hammami N, Faes C, Hens N. Key performance indicators of COVID-19 contact tracing in Belgium from September 2020 to December 2021. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292346. [PMID: 37862313 PMCID: PMC10588862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The goal of tracing, testing, and quarantining contacts of infected individuals is to contain the spread of infectious diseases, a strategy widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of contact tracing, especially with regard to key performance indicators (KPIs), such as the proportion of cases arising from previously identified contacts. In our study, we analyzed contact tracing data from Belgium collected between September 2020 and December 2021 to assess the impact of contact tracing on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and understand its characteristics. Among confirmed cases involved in contact tracing in the Flemish and Brussels-Capital regions, 19.1% were previously identified as close contacts and were aware of prior exposure. These cases, referred to as 'known' to contact tracing operators, reported on average fewer close contacts compared to newly identified individuals (0.80 versus 1.05), resulting in fewer secondary cases (0.23 versus 0.28). Additionally, we calculated the secondary attack rate, representing infections per contact, which was on average lower for the 'known' cases (0.22 versus 0.25) between December 2020 and August 2021. These findings indicate the effectiveness of contact tracing in Belgium in reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Although we were unable to quantify the exact number of prevented cases, our findings emphasize the importance of contact tracing as a public health measure. In addition, contact tracing data provide indications of potential shifts in transmission patterns among different age groups associated with emerging variants of concern and increasing vaccination rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Kremer
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Lander Willem
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jorden Boone
- KPMG Advisory, Public Sector Practice, Zaventem, Belgium
| | - Wouter Arrazola de Oñate
- Belgian Lung and Tuberculosis Association, Brussels, Belgium
- Flemish Association for Respiratory Health and Tuberculosis, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Naïma Hammami
- Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Care, Flemish Region, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christel Faes
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Niel Hens
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Bassanello M, Geppini R, Bonsembiante E, Coli U, Farencena A, D’Aquino M, Gambaro A, Buja A, Baldovin T. Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the close contacts in a small rural area in the Veneto Region (NE-Italy): past evidence for future scenarios. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1223109. [PMID: 37732097 PMCID: PMC10507707 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1223109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background During the first pandemic phase of COVID-19, an epidemiological study, named First survey, was conducted on the population of a small rural area in northern Italy. In spring 2020, the results showed how a prolonged lockdown slowed down the spread of the virus. Methods After contacting positive First Survey subjects and their families, those who decided to join voluntarily underwent a blood test to assess the presence of qualitative lgG about 2 months after the previous one. This was to determine if IgG persisted in individuals who tested positive in the First Survey as well as to assess the antibody status of their close family members, to determine if they were unintentionally infected. Results Based on serological analysis, 35.1% of the samples contained blood IgG. In subjects who tested positive during the First Survey, 62.5% remained IgG positive more than 2 months later. Among family members who were exposed to a positive relative, 23.7% were infected. Linear regression analysis showed that the presence of an infected person within a household resulted in the infection spreading to the others, but not excessively. Induced isolation extinguished the infection regardless of the extent of the contagion (intra-family or extra-family). Micro-outbreaks of SARS-Cov-2 infection which arose in the same household from extra-familial infections played a decisive role on the statistical significance of IgG-positive subjects (p < 0.001). Discussion The study reveal 52.6% of the IgG-positive subjects in the Second Survey came from the First Survey and 47.4% were family members previously in contact with positive subjects. Data suggest that there have been undiagnosed patients feeding the spread of the virus since the beginning of the pandemic. In conclusion, for future pandemics, it will be necessary: i) to ensure the rapid isolation of symptomatic patients and the early identification of their close contacts, ii) to carry out the maximum number of tests in the shortest possible time, both on symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects, and iii) to implement information campaigns to make people aware of their risks, and implement clear, non-conflicting communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bassanello
- Emergency and Health Department, Monastier di Treviso Hospital, Treviso, Italy
- Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Ruggero Geppini
- Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Ugo Coli
- Health Department, Monastier di Treviso Hospital, Treviso, Italy
| | - Aldo Farencena
- Laboratory and Microbiology Monastier di Treviso Hospital, Treviso, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Gambaro
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics (DAIS), Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
| | - Alessandra Buja
- Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Tatjana Baldovin
- Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Slembrouck S, Vandenbroucke M, De Timmerman R, Bafort AS, Van de Geuchte S. Transformative practice and its interactional challenges in COVID-19 telephone contact tracing in Flanders. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1203897. [PMID: 37711333 PMCID: PMC10498462 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1203897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
This article focuses on transformative interactional practice in COVID-19 contact tracing telephone calls in Flanders (Belgium). It is based on a large corpus of recorded telephone conversations conducted by COVID-19 contact tracers with index patients in the period mid-2020 to mid-2022. The calls were conducted through government-contracted commercial call centers. For nearly 2 years and applied country-wide, this was the most prominent strategy in Belgium for breaking transmission chains. COVID-19 telephone contact tracing with infected patients counts as transformative professional work in two ways. First, in addition to the registration of recent contacts in a relevant time window, the work is oriented to awareness-raising about how patients and their co-dwellers can and should adjust their behavior by attending actively to critical aspects of the pandemic during an individual period of (potential) infection. This is the terrain of advice, interdictions and recommendations about quarantine, isolation, personal hygiene, etc. In addition, the focus on interactional attention indexes patients' affect and emotions (e.g., anxiety, worry, or anger) in a period of health uncertainty and social isolation. The transformative work thus depends on successfully established rapport and empathetic, responsive behavior. Our analysis of the recorded conversational sequences focuses on the complexities of client-sensitive and responsive transformative sequences and highlights the constraints and affordances which surround the interactional task of 'instructional awareness raising' which is central to telephone contact tracing. Specifically, we detail the following dimensions of transformative sequences: (i) how do contact tracers deal with the knowledge status of clients, (ii) their use of upgrading/downgrading formulations, (iii) the use of humor and other mitigating strategies, and (iv) how contact tracers attend to interactional displays of affect and emotion. In a final section, we tie together our observations about the communication of particularized advice in a context of general measures through the twin notions of categorization/particularization-work. The findings in this paper are limited to the first step in the chain of contact tracing, i.e., telephone calls with tested and infected citizens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sofie Van de Geuchte
- Department of Linguistics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Linguistics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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